NCERT Flamingo – Class 12 English Core
Poem 3: A Thing of Beauty – John Keats
Page 94 – Think It Out
Q1. List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.
Answer:
The poem mentions the sun, the moon, trees old and young, daffodils, clear rills, musk-rose blooms, forest brakes, and lovely tales we have heard or read.
Q2. List the things that cause suffering and pain.
Answer:
Human life suffers from gloom, despair, lack of noble souls, dark ways of life, unhealthy practices, and despondence that cause misery.
Q3. What does the line ‘Therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to bind us to the earth’ suggest to you?
Answer:
It suggests that despite sorrows, beautiful things give us hope and joy, binding us to life. Beauty provides a reason to love the world and stay connected to it.
Q4. What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings?
Answer:
The presence of beauty in nature — the sun, moon, flowers, trees, streams, stories, and heroic tales — lifts the human spirit and makes life worth living despite difficulties.
Q5. Why is ‘grandeur’ associated with the ‘mighty dead’?
Answer:
Because great people, after death, leave behind noble deeds, legends, and glory. Their grandeur inspires future generations, giving them strength and hope.
Q6. Do we experience things of beauty only for short moments or do they make a lasting impression on us?
Answer:
Things of beauty make a lasting impression. They are “a joy forever,” whose loveliness increases with time and never fades into nothingness.
Q7. What image does the poet use to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth?
Answer:
Keats describes beauty as “an endless fountain of immortal drink” pouring upon us from heaven’s brink, symbolising eternal and divine joy.
Extra Questions & Answers
Q1. How does Keats describe the relationship between beauty and human suffering?
Answer:
Keats acknowledges that life is full of sorrow, despair, and gloom. However, beauty in nature and noble deeds of great people lift the human spirit, providing hope and joy. Beauty acts as an antidote to suffering, offering moments of peace and lasting comfort.
Q2. Explain the symbolism of “endless fountain of immortal drink” in the poem.
Answer:
This image symbolises the eternal, divine, and life-giving quality of beauty. Like a fountain that never dries, beauty nourishes human beings forever, refreshing their spirits and binding them to life.
Q3. What Romantic ideals are reflected in Keats’s poem?
Answer:
The poem reflects Romanticism through love of nature, emphasis on beauty, imagination, and belief in the spiritual and healing power of the natural world. Keats sees beauty as a divine force connecting humanity with eternity.
Q4. What role do tales and legends play in the poem?
Answer: They inspire people with grandeur, preserving the memory of the “mighty dead” and adding to life’s beauty.
Q5. How do trees serve as things of beauty?
Answer: Old and young trees provide shade, comfort, and continuity of life, symbolising nature’s nurturing power.
Q6. Why is beauty described as “a joy forever”?
Answer: Because it never fades; instead, its loveliness increases and continues to give comfort eternally.
Long Answer Questions
Q1. How does John Keats describe the eternal nature of beauty in the poem?
Answer:
John Keats begins the poem with one of the most celebrated lines in English poetry: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.”By this, he means that beauty never fades away or loses its charm. Instead, it continues to provide delight and comfort throughout our lives.
Keats explains that beauty does not diminish with time; rather, its loveliness increases. It leaves behind an everlasting impression on the human mind, much like a sheltering bower that offers peace and restful sleep. Even when human beings face trials, gloom, or hopelessness, beautiful things help to lift their spirits and provide renewed hope.
He uses powerful imagery to highlight the eternal nature of beauty. For instance, he compares beauty to an “endless fountain of immortal drink” pouring upon us from heaven. This metaphor suggests that beauty is divine, inexhaustible, and life-giving, much like nectar flowing eternally from the brink of heaven.
Thus, Keats conveys that true beauty is eternal. It goes beyond physical attraction and touches the soul, binding human beings to the earth with joy, peace, and inspiration.
Q2. How does the poem contrast things of beauty with the sufferings of human life?
Answer:
Keats acknowledges that human life is full of sorrows, disappointments, and challenges. He refers to “despondence,” “gloomy days,” and “all the unhealthy and darkened ways” that make life difficult. People often experience despair, lack of noble souls, and struggles that cover their spirit with a dark pall.
Against this background, Keats presents the power of beauty. He asserts that beautiful things help us overcome sadness and suffering. Beauty provides a reason to stay connected to life, like a “flowery band” binding us to the earth. When despair threatens to overwhelm us, beauty reminds us of joy and peace.
For example, he mentions the sun, moon, daffodils, clear streams, and musk-rose blooms as sources of joy. He also includes stories of the “mighty dead,” whose noble deeds and grandeur inspire humanity. These examples show how beauty — whether in nature or in human achievement — can counterbalance suffering.
Thus, Keats’s poem presents a contrast: while life is filled with hardships, beauty offers solace, hope, and inspiration, making existence worthwhile.
Q3. What Romantic ideals are reflected in Keats’s poem A Thing of Beauty?
Answer:
The poem reflects key features of Romanticism, a literary movement that celebrated nature, imagination, and emotions. Like other Romantic poets, Keats found solace in the beauty of nature and expressed deep faith in its power to uplift human beings.
Firstly, the poem glorifies nature. Keats lists the sun, moon, trees, daffodils, clear rills, and musk-roses as examples of beauty that bring joy to life. This reflects the Romantic belief in the healing and spiritual power of nature.
Secondly, the poem emphasises imagination. Beauty is not just physical but also spiritual and eternal. Keats describes it as “an endless fountain of immortal drink,” a metaphor created through imagination to show its divine quality.
Thirdly, the poem highlights emotions. Instead of focusing on reason or logic, Keats presents the emotional impact of beauty: it removes gloom, cures despair, and inspires joy.
Finally, Romantic poets often valued the connection between the human soul and the divine. By associating beauty with immortality and heaven, Keats presents beauty as a spiritual force that transcends worldly suffering.
Therefore, A Thing of Beauty perfectly embodies Romantic ideals of love for nature, imagination, emotion, and spirituality.
Q4. Explain the significance of the image “an endless fountain of immortal drink” in the poem.
Answer:
The image of “an endless fountain of immortal drink” appears at the conclusion of the poem and serves as its most powerful metaphor. Here, Keats compares beauty to a divine fountain that pours eternal nectar from heaven.
This image signifies that beauty is inexhaustible and everlasting. Just as a fountain never ceases to flow, beauty continues to nourish and refresh the human spirit throughout life. It is not temporary or perishable but eternal, like nectar that provides immortality.
The metaphor also conveys the spiritual dimension of beauty. Keats suggests that beauty is a gift from heaven, a divine blessing that connects humans to the eternal. Unlike material possessions, which fade, beauty uplifts the soul and binds people to the earth with joy and peace.
Through this image, Keats unites his central idea: that beauty is not just physical charm but a spiritual essence, eternal in nature, capable of healing sorrow and inspiring joy forever.